No. 14 ASU softball split its doubleheader with No. 6 Washington in Tempe on Saturday.
Game One
In the first game of the doubleheader, a Pac-12 conference game, freshman pitcher Allison Royalty led the Sun Devils to a 6-1 victory over the Huskies.
Royalty pitched 5 innings of one-run ball, allowed just three hits and struck out three. Sophomore pitcher Lindsay Lopez pitched the final two innings and allowed no runs.
"If you look across the nation there's not a true freshman especially this year throwing, let alone throwing in the Pac-12 against these super rosters," ASU head coach Trisha Ford said. "I thought she did a tremendous job."
ASU fifth year senior centerfielder Kindra Hackbarth started the game off with a leadoff home run to centerfield. Sophomore shortstop Alynah Torres batted in sophomore right fielder Jazmine Hill and junior left fielder Makenna Harper hit an RBI single to push ASU's lead to three after the first inning.
Washington's sophomore starting pitcher Kelley Lynch was pulled after the first inning after allowing four runs on five hits.
"Our plan was to attack strikes early, be on top of the ball and I think the team executed that very well especially in the first couple of innings," Kindra Hackbarth said. "Everyone jumped on (Lynch) pretty quickly and successfully got her out of the game."
In the second inning, senior third baseman Bella Loomis and Kindra Hackbarth each hit solo home runs. ASU's final run of the day came on a bases-loaded walk to Kindra Hackbarth in the third inning.
Washington's sole run came on an RBI single from junior right fielder Madison Huskey in the fifth inning.
Game Two
In the second game of the doubleheader, a nonconference game, Washington's offense came alive in a 14-7 win.
ASU struck first in the second inning on an RBI single from sophomore first baseman Jordyn Vanhook.
The Huskies got hot offensively and put up seven runs in the third inning. Sophomore centerfielder Jadelyn Allchin capped the inning off with a grand slam to right field.
Washington scored at least one run in the final four innings, including a four-run fifth inning off of back-to-back home runs.
Loomis hit her second home run of the day in the bottom of the third and junior designated player Yannira Acuña added on a solo shot of her own in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Hill and Torres each hit two-run shots. ASU did not score any runs in the final two innings.
Although ASU lost the nonconference game, the Sun Devils secured their first Pac-12 series win with the game one win.
"It feels really good especially beating a top-6 ranked team, beating them twice and taking the series against them," Kindra Hackbarth said. "We're looking forward to tomorrow's game and looking for the sweep."
ASU will play the final game of the series versus Washington on Sunday at 12 p.m. MST.
Reach the reporter at cfahrend@asu.edu and follow @chris_drop_ on Twitter.
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.
